Three Terrorists Killed in Fresh DI Khan IBO, a Day After Eight Died in Sunday Raid
Security forces killed three terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in Dera Ismail Khan on Monday, a day after a separate raid in the same district left eight militants dead. It is the second DI Khan IBO in 48 hours.
Security sources said the latest operation was launched after intelligence reports pointed to the presence of terrorists in the area. State-run media also carried the report of the operation, which took place in the Dera Ismail Khan district of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
DI Khan IBO: what security sources reported
According to the sources, troops moved in after receiving credible information that terrorists were present in the area. No further details about the identity of those killed or the exact locality of the raid had been released when the reports emerged on Monday.
Sanitisation operations were under way to clear the area of any remaining threat. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended the security forces for the operation, state media reported.
Security sources said the ongoing operations were proving effective in weakening terrorist networks across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Both raids were conducted under the Azm-e-Istehkam vision, the national counterterrorism framework under which forces have stepped up intelligence-led actions across the province.
Sunday’s raid: eight killed, ringleaders among them
Monday’s action followed Sunday’s larger operation in the same district, in which security forces killed eight terrorists belonging to Fitna-ul-Khawarij. Three key ringleaders of the group were among those eliminated.
Security sources said foreign currency and a large quantity of weapons and ammunition were recovered from the site of Sunday’s operation. The president, the prime minister and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid tribute to the forces for that success, saying the nation stood shoulder to shoulder with them in the fight against terrorism.
The district borders South Waziristan and has long served as a corridor between the settled districts and the former tribal areas.
Attacks at a 12-year high
The operations come as Pakistan records its highest monthly number of terrorist attacks in 12 years, concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based independent think tank, showed 225 terrorist attacks across the country in September, up from 199 in August, a rise of 13 per cent. It was the third consecutive month in which the number of attacks climbed.
Security officials link the surge to cross-border militancy. Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021. Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to prevent their territory from being used by groups carrying out attacks inside Pakistan.
What happens next
Security sources said the Dera Ismail Khan operations were part of an ongoing campaign that would continue until terrorist networks in the area were dismantled. Officials have said the Azm-e-Istehkam actions will remain intelligence-led, with clearance operations following each raid.
What happened in Dera Ismail Khan on Monday?
Security forces killed three terrorists in an intelligence-based operation in the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, according to security sources. The operation was launched on intelligence about the presence of terrorists in the area.
How is Monday’s operation different from Sunday’s raid?
Sunday’s raid in the same district killed eight terrorists, including three key ringleaders of Fitna-ul-Khawarij, and led to the recovery of foreign currency and a large quantity of weapons. Monday’s operation killed three terrorists and was reported separately by security sources and state-run media.
What is the Azm-e-Istehkam vision?
Azm-e-Istehkam is Pakistan’s national counterterrorism framework, under which security forces conduct intelligence-based operations against terrorist networks. Officials say the campaign will continue until militant networks in affected areas are dismantled.
How many terrorist attacks did Pakistan record in September 2026?
The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies recorded 225 terrorist attacks across Pakistan in September 2026, up from 199 in August, a rise of 13 per cent. It was the highest monthly tally in 12 years and the third consecutive monthly increase.
